PRINTER'S NO. 2316
No. 253 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY ROBBINS, MELLOW, BELL, PUNT, HUGHES, LEMMOND,
STAPLETON, SLOCUM, BELAN, HELFRICK, MUSTO, BRIGHTBILL, HOLL,
BODACK, ARMSTRONG, THOMPSON, TILGHMAN, O'PAKE, COSTA,
AFFLERBACH, EARLL, LAVALLE, WENGER, CORMAN, MOWERY, PICCOLA,
RHOADES, SALVATORE, WAGNER, TOMLINSON, CONTI, GREENLEAF,
KASUNIC, MURPHY, GERLACH, DELP, KUKOVICH, STOUT, WHITE,
JUBELIRER AND LOEPER, NOVEMBER 24, 1998
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, NOVEMBER 24, 1998
A RESOLUTION
1 Congratulating Major General James W. Mac Vay, the Adjutant
2 General of Pennsylvania, for his outstanding record of
3 service to the Commonwealth and for his many commendable
4 achievements.
5 WHEREAS, Major General James W. Mac Vay is the 48th Adjutant
6 General of Pennsylvania by virtue of his appointment to the
7 cabinet-level position by Governor Thomas J. Ridge in April
8 1995; and
9 WHEREAS, As the Adjutant General, General Mac Vay is
10 responsible for command, control and supervision of all Army and
11 Air National Guard units stationed in the Commonwealth of
12 Pennsylvania; and
13 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay, a native of Clarks Summit, was
14 educated in the Clarks Summit and Scranton school systems, is a
15 1957 graduate of Clarks Summit Abington High School and holds a
16 bachelor of science degree in political science from the
1 University of New York - Albany; and
2 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay entered the Army National Guard
3 during his senior year in high school, enlisted in Company C of
4 the 109th Infantry Regiment and received initial combat training
5 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Fort Polk, Louisiana; and
6 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay served as a heavy weapons and rifle
7 squad leader before completing the Second United States Army
8 Noncommissioned Officer's Academy in 1958; and
9 WHEREAS, In 1960, General Mac Vay was commissioned a second
10 lieutenant of infantry following completion of Officer Candidate
11 School at Fort Benning, Georgia; and
12 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay has completed the Infantry Officer's
13 Orientation Course, Tactical Officer's Orientation Course and
14 Infantry Officer's Advance Course at Fort Benning, Georgia; the
15 National Security Management Course of the Industrial College of
16 the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C.; and the Command and General
17 Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and
18 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay is a 1983 graduate of the United
19 States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks; and
20 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay has served as a rifle and weapons
21 platoon leader, rifle company commander, battalion adjutant,
22 battalion operations officer, brigade operations officer,
23 infantry battalion commander, division operations and training
24 officer, chief of staff and assistant division commander
25 (maneuver) of the 28th Infantry Division; and
26 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay has served in full-time assignments
27 with the 28th Infantry Division since January 1964; and
28 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay was appointed Deputy Adjutant
29 General - Army, Pennsylvania National Guard, December 1, 1993,
30 and served in that position until his cabinet appointment as the
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1 Adjutant General in 1995; and
2 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay received Federal recognition of the
3 rank of Major General on April 16, 1995; and
4 WHEREAS, Major General Mac Vay's many commendable
5 achievements include, but are not limited to, the following:
6 (1) The harmonious transition of Fort Indiantown Gap
7 from Federal Army control to administration by the
8 Pennsylvania National Guard.
9 (2) The transfer of Scotland School for Veterans'
10 Children from the Department of Education to the Department
11 of Military and Veterans Affairs.
12 (3) The establishment of the 28th Division as the United
13 States' most ready National Guard Division.
14 (4) The changing of the name of the Department of
15 Military Affairs to the Department of Military and Veterans
16 Affairs, which truly represents the dual mission of the
17 department, which mission is to command the Pennsylvania
18 National Guard and to serve as the primary advocate for
19 Pennsylvania's 1.3 million veterans.
20 (5) Vigorous endorsement of the passage of major
21 legislation, which has improved the retention and readiness
22 of Pennsylvania's National Guard.
23 (6) The passage and implementation of education
24 assistance for members of the Pennsylvania National Guard,
25 which has assisted in recruitment and retention.
26 (7) Becoming a major partner with the Pennsylvania State
27 Police in fighting drugs in this Commonwealth.
28 (8) Opening of the fifth State Veterans home in the
29 Pittsburgh area.
30 (9) Strengthening the cooperative relationship with
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1 Pennsylvania's major veterans organizations;
2 and
3 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay's civic and charitable organization
4 affiliations include the National Guard Associations of the
5 United States and Pennsylvania, Aircraft Owners and Pilots
6 Association, Army Aviation Association of America, Fraternal
7 Order of Police, the United States Army War College Alumni
8 Association and the Reserve Officers Association, and he is a
9 life member of AMVETS and the American Legion Association; and
10 WHEREAS, General Mac Vay's military awards and decorations
11 include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with
12 three oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two oak
13 leaf clusters, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with
14 silver oak leaf cluster, National Defense Service Medal,
15 Humanitarian Service Award, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two
16 hourglass devices, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army
17 Service Ribbon, Pennsylvania Meritorious Service Medal,
18 Pennsylvania Commendation Medal, Pennsylvania State Service
19 Ribbon with three silver stars, Pennsylvania Twenty Year Service
20 Medal with three additional five-year service stars, Major
21 General Thomas R. White Medal, Pennsylvania Recruiting and
22 Retention Medal and the General Thomas J. Stewart Medal;
23 therefore be it
24 RESOLVED, That the Senate congratulate Major General James W.
25 Mac Vay, Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, for his outstanding
26 record of service to the Commonwealth and for his many
27 commendable achievements.
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